A Storm beyond the Skies
by Hikari no Seishin
Summary: Our story begins when a shy Riolu named Lightning meets an amnesiac Pikachu at the beach, who wakes with nothing but a name and the knowledge that she was once human. A PMD Explorers novelization.
1. Prologue: A Storm at Sea, Part 1

**Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this disaster fueled by nostalgia. Hope you enjoy your stay.**

 **PMD Explorers of Sky belongs to Spike Chunsoft.**

* * *

Thunder clapped in the pitch darkness, as if to mark each strike their attacker dealt. The pain of the attacker's claws running through her body did nothing to help, shooting through every inch of her being, as if clawing at her very soul:

\- Whoa!- her partner exclaimed - a-are you okay?

She wanted to nod, she really did. She wanted to scream and trash at her attacker to be freed, to let her go, but they paid no mind, and the pain was making her light-headed:

\- W-wait- her partner stuttered- hold on, we're almost there. But the grip she had was slipping, like water running from the gaps of one's hand, she couldn't whistand this any longer:

\- No! – her partner cried – You can do it! Don't let go! But it was too late. With a well-placed strike, her grip was torn apart, leaving her to the mercy of the storm and the cries of her partner.

She was woken up by the soft smell of seawater and the gentle rocking of the waves. The bright summer sun touched her skin and warmed the sand around her. Although the scenery was very much peaceful, the pain taking over her body didn't show any signs of subsiding.

 _Where...where am I?_

She tried to get up, but as soon as she did, her whole body protested and gave away, leaving her collapsed on the beach sand once again.

 _I can't... drifting off..._

And, against all of the alarms ringing in the back of her head, she slowly closed her eyes and gave in to unconsciousness once again.

* * *

The evening sun was setting behind the gigantic guild by the cliffside, whose entrance was already being illuminated by torches, giving it an intimidating aura. A small, wolf-like creature was pacing thoughtfully at the entrance, muttering to no one in particular, when he suddenly stopped and looked at the entrance with a determined expression:

\- No- he declared- I will not hesitate this time.

He strode forward confidently, but as soon as he stepped on the grate:

\- Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!

\- Whose footprint? Whose footprint?

\- The footprint's Riolu's! The footprint's Riolu's!

\- Wha-!

The Riolu exclaimed, immediately stepping back, away from the grate:

\- Th-That was scary! – he stuttered

He sighed, defeated and turned his back to the entrance, taking out a mysterious stone from his bag and looking at it sadly:

\- I was so sure I could do it this time... I even brought my personal treasure with me to cheer me up... – he lamented- I really am a coward...

He put the stone back in his bag and left, not noticing the two other creatures watching him. One was a small blue bat with purple wings and the other was a weird gas-like being:

\- Did you see that, Koffing? – the bat addressed the gaseous creature

\- Sure did, Zubat. – Koffing responded – Think it's a treasure?

\- Only one way to find out.

The two nodded to each other, and continued to follow the oblivious Riolu.

* * *

The beach near the guild was painted in a soft hue of orange that reflected on the clear ocean water. At the rocky structures, crabs were playfully blowing bubbles that filled the horizon, giving the beach an even more stunning scenery. The Riolu walked slowly across the beach, looking at the marvelous scene before him, stunned at it's sheer beauty:

\- When evening comes, the Krabby like to blow bubbles by the beach. – he muttered to no one in particular- Whenever I feel down, I come here. This never fails to cheer me up.

At the corner of his eye, however, he noticed a glimpse of yellow that didn't belong to the orange-yellow sand:

-Hm?

The Riolu walked closer to the mass of electric yellow fur and, after taking a better look, exclaimed in surprise:

\- There's someone collapsed on the sand!

He ran closer to the other Pokémon, kneeling down by it's side and shaking it frantically:

\- H-Hey, wake up! – he pleaded

Soon after, the Pokémon groaned and slowly got up, drowsiness and confusion clear in it's small black eyes.

Where am I?

\- Oh, you're awake. I'm glad. – the Riolu sighed – I found you collapsed here and freaked out. Well, I'm happy you're okay.

The Pokémon looked at him curiously:

\- By the way, do you remember where are you from? There's not a lot of Pokémon like you around here...

\- I'm...hu...man...- the Pokémon said, looking rather offended

He did a double take:

\- What!? Human!? – he exclaimed- But... You look like a normal Pikachu to me...

It was now her time to do a double take: Pikachu? Last she remembered, she was very much human. She leaned over the sea water and, even with the constant rocking of the waves, the image of a Pikachu looked back at her.

It's true, I am a Pikachu!

In the midst of her own panic, she didn't notice the Riolu looking uneasy at her:

\- Hey, are you lying to me? – he asked

She looked at him, confused:

\- How can I tell you're not pulling a prank on me?- he continued

She frowned:

\- ... Not... lying...- she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world

\- Well, one can only be sure! – the Riolu defended – Do you remember your name? At least tell me that.

My name? She thought. My name is...

* * *

 **Before continuing, I must warn that this story will not be exactly the same as the game for two reasons:**

 **1\. It's a novelization, so some elements from the games wouldn't be able to fit in this format of storytelling:**

 **2\. I want to write it using as little references as possible. This is a personal project, after all, and it wouldn't make sense to read a fanfiction that is excactly like the games.**

 **With that said, thank you for your patience and I hope to see you next chapter.**


	2. Prologue: A Storm at Sea, Part 2

**PMD Explorers of Sky belongs to Spike Chunsoft.**

* * *

\- Thunder. – she said - My name is Thunder.

\- Thunder, huh? It fits you. – the Riolu commented- I'm Lightning, pleased to meet you!

Thunder smiled slightly:

\- Sorry I doubted you earlier- Lightning apologized- there has been an outbreak of bad Pokémon around these parts. Things have been a little lawless and it hasn't been safe ever since.

Right after he said that, Lightning felt someone shove him roughly, making him stagger forward and drop the mysterious stone he had on the sand:

\- Oops, my bad. – a high pitched voice said behind him, sounding not at all apologetic

\- Hey, what's the big idea!? – he turned angrily to the source of the voice, finding a Zubat and a Koffing sneering at him:

\- Oh, come on. What are you gonna do, cry about it? – the Koffing taunted

\- That's...

\- Hey, this is yours, right? - The Zubat called, poiting at the stone lying on the sand

-W-what? Yeah, but...

-Sorry kid, - the Zubat interrupted, picking the stone from the sandy shore – we'll be taking that.

Lightning let out a strangled noise of surprise at the two Pokémon in front of him, ignoring the silent Pikachu behind him, who was glaring in disapproval at the duo. The Koffing laughed mockingly:

-What? Not going to make a move to get it back? What's the matter? Too scared?

Lightning flinched as if physically struck by the mockery, looking down in shame as the two thieves made their way towards the cave behind them. Only after the duo was out of sight that Thunder decided to speak up:

-Won't...you...get it back? - She asked, a defiant tone in her voice

The Riolu turned around, startled by the sudden inquiry, but looked down sadly:

-I want to... but there's no way I can face those two...

He sniffed a bit:

-But... it is my personal treasure... I can't lose it just like that...

-Then go get it back...- Thunder replied, as if stating the obvious

Such reply seemed to lift the Riolu's spirit, as he then looked at the cave with a determined expression:

-Yeah, I will! I won't just sit here feeling sorry for myself!

Lightning marched to the entrance of the cave, freezing as if his previous bravado had suddenly vanished:

-But that doesn't change the fact that I can't face them on my own... -

In his line of thought, he turned to look at Thunder's direction once again, only to see the Pikachu taking her leave towards the opposite direction:

-Um...hey! - Lightning called, catching her attention – I know we just met, but... Can I get you to help me?

The Pikachu put on a pensive expression, surprised by the request.

I have nothing to do with this, she thought, but...at the same time, it wouldn't hurt to help him. I have no idea where to go anyways...

After making up her mind, Thunder made her way back to the Riolu's side, nodding with an encouraging smile:

-T-thank you! - He exclaimed – Then let's go, after those thieves!

Both stared fiercely at the cave entrance and, together, entered the dungeon.


	3. Prologue: A Storm at Sea, Part 3

**Before the chapter starts, there is a message I feel like I need to pass on: the Pokémon fandom here on has been targeted by a group of bullies who troll other writers by sending hurtful comments on the pretense of "reviewing" the stories. They go by the names:**

 **"St Elmo's Fire", "Farla", "Reeds of Enki", "DLPxBeAsTxSnIpE", "Tarlac", "thisispingas", "Act" and "AshxSelene Writer"**

 **It's best to block these users before they start to become a problem. Thank you for your patience.**

 **As always, PMD Explorers of Sky belongs to Spike Chunsoft.**

* * *

As the duo descended further into the cave, Thunder noticed that, naturally, the hall they were in became darker and darker, until she could barely see what was in front of her. She also noticed that Lightning had settled into following behind her.

I don't blame him, she thought, This hall is too narrow for both of us to go through, and I wouldn't risk both of us squeezing our way through, since it's almost pitch black here.

The Pikachu walked cautiously, occasionally looking back to see if her companion was catching up. After some time walking, the hallway seemed to open up to a more spacious, brighter room. She looked around: The roof of the cave seemed to be of a blueish rocky structure, the tiny holes in between the rocks giving way to natural daylight and droplets of water that dripped from the stalactites to the ground, forming puddles here and there.

\- Okay, they couldn't have gone far… - Lightning thought mostly to himself – Let's look through everything, we'll find them eventually.

Thunder nodded silently and continued to walk towards one of the other halls, the pinkish ground slightly grazing her feet. Just like the one they entered through, the hallways they passed through became thinner and darker the further they went, leading to bigger and clearer rooms that led to other galleries. The Pikachu lost herself too many times as they accidentally bumped into tunnels that ended in dead ends, forcing them to backtrack and find another route.

This looks more like a maze than a cave. Thunder thought grumpily. No, I think that a maze would still be easier to walk in.

The Pikachu was shaken out of her thoughts when Lightning let out an exclamation of surprise, pointing a paw to a rocky formation that looked oddly like stairs:

\- We can go to the next floor by climbing these! – he urged – Maybe they're on the next floor!

All she did was roll her eyes in resignation, following the Riolu without the least bit of enthusiasm. Maybe it was a mistake to help him. She thought.

* * *

She discovered soon enough that the next floor was exactly the same as the last one, with the slight and aggravating difference that there was a new set of tunnels and galleries to navigate through, branching out to a completely different maze than the lower floor. The Pikachu once again took the lead as they traveled through, her steps more mechanical than before:

\- Wait! Look over there!– Lightning shouted suddenly when they were on one of the bigger rooms, startling his companion and earning a glare as a result.

She begrudgingly looked over to where her partner was pointing, finding a small blue berry on the ground. Curious, she made her way to the fruit and picked it up from the grainy earth. It didn't seem damaged:

\- How lucky! This is an Oran Berry! – Lightning exclaimed, excited – We can eat it if one of us is in a pinch.

Shrugging absentmindedly, Thunder decided to humor him and carry the mysterious food:

\- Let's also pay attention to any money on the ground. – the Riolu added – There is always something loot littered around in places like these.

Sure enough, the next room had little gold coins scattered on the ground, probably dropped from previous explorers before them, as well as some seeds and apples. They decided to pick up the coins they found, but letting other loot be. After all, it was hard to navigate mazes like those while carrying too much stuff.

* * *

It turned out that the process was pretty much repetitive. Walk blindly through hallways, grab some stray loot, find the stairs. Rinse, repeat. The only difference from one room to another was that the rooms seemed to become brighter the more they climbed, probably from getting nearer to shore.

Another thing that the Pikachu noticed was that her companion looked more and more nervous the closer they came to the end of the cave. When they reached the fourth floor, she decided to confront her partner:

\- You… know that they won't give in that easily… right? – she asked, struggling to find the right words.

The Riolu merely nodded solemnly, looking as anxious as ever. Deciding not to press further, she began to walk again towards a particularly narrow tunnel.

The walk was silent, with Thunder pressing forward and Lightning following close behind, the former having to squint just to see the path ahead. She was so focused on the path ahead that she didn't notice the brown crab- like creature in front of her, jumping back in surprise and knocking back her partner when it let out an angry shriek:

\- What the- what's going on!? – the Riolu stuttered, frightened

She began to slowly back away from the crab, pushing her companion back as consequence. The offended creature let out little clicks as a threat, then lashed out at the Pikachu. Said Pokémon couldn't avoid it quickly enough, receiving a shallow scratch at her chest, enough to cut fur and leave angry marks where the attack hit:

\- What are you doing!? – Lightning shouted behind her – You have to fight back!

Seeing no choice, Thunder braced herself, getting on all fours and staring straight at her opponent, who was now in a defensive stance. Taking a deep breath, she charged and slammed her body against the creature, the impact cracking its exoskeleton and knocking it back a few inches.

The retaliation seemed to annoy the thing, as it stood and lashed out again, this time barely grazing the Pikachu's side as she jumped back, revealing a seemingly softer black belly with red glowing eyes. She took the momentum to charge again, this time charging full force at the belly, successfully knocking it almost a feet away, making it scatter away after recovering from the impact.

Thunder sat down in the middle of the tunnel, the adrenaline leaving her body almost instantly. She felt a soft paw on her shoulder:

\- Sorry I didn't help… - he muttered, shaken – It's hard for two people to walk here, let alone fight

 _From the way he's shaking, I don't think he's used to fighting…_ She pondered, _But then again, neither am I._

The Pikachu waved him off and got up with a grunt, giving her partner what she hoped it was a reassuring smile, and continued to walk forward. Now that she paid more attention, there were several similar creatures (which later she was told were named Kabuto), as well as coral-like and shell-like Pokémon ( Corsola and Shellder, respectively) scattered around the cave, and she began to wonder how didn't they bump into one before.

Just like before, fighting off the cave- dwellers when they attacked was almost a pattern, although she had to stop and take a breath before continuing onwards. If she was lucky (ergo, more than one enemy at once), Lightning would sometimes tag along, scaring off anyone who came close with a swift and precise bite, making any offender retreat almost immediately.

 _For a scaredy cat, he is stronger than he seems._ She thought, pensive, before continuing through the dungeon.


	4. Prologue: A Storm at Sea, Part 4

**PMD Explorers of Sky belongs to Spike Chunsoft.**

* * *

When they finally reached the fifth floor, they noticed that the walls seemed way more open than the lower floors, the ceiling so tall that they had to crane their necks just to see the top, the pinkish ground now replaced with soft golden sand, as well as puddles made from actual seawater:

-Okay, this time, I know this is it. – Lightning said, determined – If they aren't in this floor, they must be in the pit just ahead.

All his partner did was nod, now treading through the cave as if it was second nature. The Riolu gulped dryly:

-When we find them…those bullies, I mean… - he started - We'll have no choice but to fight, right?

Thunder nodded without sparing a glance at him, looking around carefully in search of any attackers:

I-f you want… you can stay back… I think I can take them. – she said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.

-Wh-what? No! – the Riolu stammered - I-it wouldn't be fair! And besides, it was you who agreed to help me, I won't let you fight alone.

The Pikachu looked at her partner and flashed a thankful smile, earning a grin from him in return. The rest of the trip was spent in comfortable silence, the familiarity of the cave and each other muffling the tense anticipation both held. Once they found the exit to that maze, the sunlight seeping in to the rest of the cave, uninhibited, they stood side by side, looking at each other, and nodded, determined, walking forward with measured steps.

Just as Lightning predicted, they found the crooks at a pit at the very end of the cave, looking a little worse for wear. It seemed they hadn't planned that far ahead, having to stop to catch their breath. Thunder stepped forward as quietly as she could, crouching to an offensive stance. _If we catch them off guard, it'll be easier to take the item back and run._ She thought. _After all, it's not as if we are in any better condition._

-H-hey! - Lightning called, making Thunder stop mid-tackle. _So much for subtlety_ , she lamented.

As expected, the Koffing and the Zubat turned to them, their brief expressions of fear soon turning to one of mockery:

-Well, welll, if it isn't the chicken. So, you did follow us after all? - The Koffing sneered.

-Ah, but look... - Zubat added, jeering – That Pikachu is with him. Man, dragging others to solve your problems? That's pathetic.

The Pikachu was tempted to roll her eyes at those weak attempts at insults, but one look at the shaking form of her partner showed that those jabs cut deeper than expected. With heavy steps, Lightning moved to stand beside his partner, both now facing the bullies:

-Give it back...give me back my treasure! - the Riolu exclaimed – I was the one who found this Relic fragment! You can't just steal it!

-Oh? So it really is a treasure? - Koffing pondered –You know, we were just going to throw it away, but it may be better if we sell it, then.

The remark seemed to strike a chord, as Lightning staggered in shock as both Zubat and Koffing laughed mockingly:

-Hey, don't make that face. You're making it look as if we're the bad guys. - Zubat commented – Tell you what, if you really want your "treasure" ...

-Then come and get it! - Koffing challenged, blowing a heavy puff of smoke at them.

Thunder felt her legs give out as the smoke surrounded them, clouding their vision and burning their eyes. She struggled to breathe, feeling her throat close due to the toxin she inhaled in her surprise. Looking around while trying to get up, she felt relief rush over her body as she located Lightning not too far away, eyes shut tight and a paw covering his muzzle as he coughed and waved the smoke away. It seems she had taken the blunt of the attack:

-Thunder! Are you alright? - The Riolu shouted, taking deeper breaths as the gas began to clear.

-I am... but those two fled... they used the gas as cover... - The Pikachu said, weakly, as she finally managed to stay upright – They couldn't have gone far... They have to have gone back to the cave...

As soon as she took the first step, Thunder collapsed again towards the sand, and suddenly the world was spinning across her vision. With an exclamation of surprise, her partner rushed over to her with worry painted across his face, reaching out with the intention of helping her up. She waved away his attempts:

-Go without me... I'll slow you down like this... - she insisted against her partner's shaking denial

-B-but... I can't face them alone. I'd never be able to fight them off without you! - Lightning borderline cried, tears already prickling at the corners of his eyes

-Who said you have to fight them?

-Huh?

-It's clear... they don't play fair... - Thunder explained through a now hoarse voice – But that means you don't have to play the hero... just find whomever has your treasure and take it from them.

Lightning took a moment to take in the advice, then once again helped his partner up, making her rest again one of the rocky walls, trying to not look at her dazed expression or the purplish hue that was taking over the skin of her face, standing out from her yellow fur:

-I'll try... I don't know if I can, but I'll try. - the Riolu stated, making his way back to the cave. -Once it's over, I'll come back.

The Pikachu watched as her partner's figure was slowly swallowed by the darkness of the cave, not yet determined but resigning enough to push forward. Only once Lightning couldn't be seen anymore, she let her head rest at the wall she was currently sitting against, letting out a small, shaky laugh.

 _I believe in you, Lightning._ She thought. _Even if we just met... I can tell you're stronger than you think._


	5. Prologue: A Storm at Sea, Part 5

**PMD Explorers of Sky belongs to Spike Chunsoft.**

* * *

It took every fiber of Lightning's being to continue through the cave, to not bail and run and just forget about the dumb treasure. The option of turning around and getting him and Thunder out of the cave and away from those bullies danced through his mind as he focused on tracking the foul aura of those thieves and the trail of magic the relic fragment left behind.

He shook his head as he went through another hall. No, it wasn't about the treasure anymore. Because he was too much of a chicken to face his problems by himself, someone was poisoned, and worse, he had no gut to say no and simply left her there, slowly losing her strength and placing her faith in him.

A feeling of guilt washed over him as he found himself inside another gallery. Thunder had been more invested in getting the relic fragment back than him, making the journey through the cave easier to bear, somehow erasing most of the feeling of dread and fear he had felt, and not at all intimidated by those bullies. He chuckled without much humor, she probably could be a better explorer than he could ever be.

A sudden surge of aura took the Riolu out of his daze, who perked up as he concentrated on tracking the origin of said burst of energy, locating it to his right, apparently in another gallery. Hyper focused, Lightning headed towards the hallway that led to the next room with measured steps, sensitive even to the sand prickling at the pads of his paws. He had to suppress an exclamation as he saw Koffing, back turned to him, examining the fragment.

Lightning took a moment to steel himself and began to approach the thief as slowly and quietly as possible. Once he deemed himself close enough, he crouched, determined, and tackled the Koffing from behind, knocking the Pokémon forward. He took the opportunity to snatch the treasure from the ground, turning back with the intention of bolting from there, ignoring Koffing's exclamation of surprise. He almost tripped over his paws when Zubat suddenly appeared in front of him:

"And where do you think you're going?" he taunted, snapping at Lightning when he thought he was close enough.

The Riolu stopped in his track, mere inches from getting his face bitten, and brought the relic closer to him, looking around frantically in search of an exit. Zubat cackled as Koffing picked himself up and the duo started to inch closer to Lightning, who was now frozen in fear:

'Did you really think you could get away with a stunt like that?" Zubat asked, mockery palpable in his voice "Man, you really don't help your case, do you?"

The duo lunged once again, leaving Lightning to dodge at the last second and sprint to one of the tunnels of the gallery, holding onto the Relic Fragment like a lifeline. Lightning's heart was pounding in his ears, mixed with the cacophony of Zubat's screeching while the bullies chased him around the cave. They followed him over the dungeon floors while the Riolu attempted, to formulate an escape plan. Leaving the cave now was out of question, as he wouldn't forgive himself if he let Thunder behind, and he definitely wasn't strong enough to take them one on one. Giving them the relic wasn't an option either, as much as he thought that the thing was causing nothing more than a headache, or perhaps that was the effect of Zubat's noise finally getting to him.

The Riolu's train of thought was interrupted by a stray pebble that managed to make him lose his balance and topple to the sandy ground unceremoniously, letting out a huff as he landed face first into the sand. Yep, that definitely left a bruise. Lightning could faintly hear the mocking laughter of the Pokémon trailing him as he tried to recollect himself, still clutching the Relic and staring at the dark cave ceiling. Maybe it was due to his confusion, but he could swear that there was something latched onto it:

"Hey, look at that, Zubat!" Koffing chortled- he can't even make a proper escape!

"Poor thing." Zubat said in mock pity "Almost makes me feel bad about him."

Their laughter grew louder as they came closer, clearly enjoying Lightning's desperate attempts at scrambling back up and running away, resulting into him falling again and again, as the paw that collided with the pebble was clearly injured. Despite his panic, never once he let go of the Fragment:

"Oh come on. Don't make this worse for yourself." Zubat complained.

"Last chance, chicken." Koffing followed "Either give us the treasure or take the beating like a grown up."

The Riolu's response was to pick a stone from the ground and throw it at the duo's direction. They remained still as the pebble flew over their heads:

"Really? You could've at least tried-" Zubat's mockery was interrupted by a screech.

Startled, the bullies turned towards the source of the sound, finding that the small stone had hit a Kabuto square in its back, if the reddish stain was of any indication. They seemed to recoil as the Kabuto's anger was followed by another screech, and another, and another. Although not all of them were the same, they triggered in the duo the instinctual feeling of terror settled in every Pokémon that has ever entered a dungeon.

In the runt's panic, he had managed to trigger a Monster House.

Zubat and Koffing turned towards the kid, only to find him halfway towards one of the hallways, limping, but determined:

"You little – come back here!" Koffing shouted.

"Forget him, you idiot!" Zubat screeched "We need to get out of here!"

And so, they parted. Had Lightning looked behind, he would've seen his bullies being ambushed by Kabutos, and he definitely would've seen the violent promise of a re encounter within their expressions.

If running within a dungeon was already hard, running through a dungeon with an injured paw was definitely a nightmare. Yet, the Relic Fragment's edges dug onto his torso as some sort of grim reminder. As much as he wanted to rest, he still had something to do.

He found Thunder in the same position he left her, although he noticed that she had slumped little over the rocky wall. He kneeled in front of her, wincing as his injured paw hurt in protest, and gently shook her awake.

When she woke up, blinking owlishly as her eyes adjusted once again to the now setting sun, he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding:

"Gro…gro…" she mumbled, voice barely a whisper.

"It's okay." he whispered "It's me – Lightning."

She blinked once again, the haze of the poison still in effect. Eventually, she seemed to recognize him, and her eyes landed on the Fragment still tucked against him:

"You did it."

He nodded:

" I did."

"Was it that hard?"

He let out a short laugh:

"Just a little."

Despite herself, Thunder smiled. Said smile faded as she glanced towards his wounded chin and his injured paw:

"You're hurt." she stated

"Oh, this?" he pointed at the wound on his chin "It's nothing, I just fell. You're the one who needs treatment. Come on, I know a place I can take you"

His rant was interrupted as Thunder grabbed his front paw in a gentle but firm grip:

"It's not "nothing"."she said "Sit down and rest."

Confused, the Riolu decided to obey and sat down on the soft sand, watching with curiosity as the Pikachu offered him:

"The Oran Berry we picked from the dungeon." Thunder stated "Eat it."

"… I can't"

"Why not?"

"It's for emergencies."

"This is an emergency."

"Then you eat it."

"I'llbe fine."

"No you won't."

"Neither will you if you don't eat it."

"How about this" he picked the Berry from her hand and split it in half, offering one to her "I'll only eat my half if you eat yours."

She glared, but picked her half from his paw and promptly bit into it. He then smiled and bit into his own half, feeling the cool sensation of the Berry's properties easing the pain in his injuries. He noted, with some satisfaction, that his partner's fur had regained a little of its shine:

"Sorry if I'm being too nosy…" Thunder started "but what's the story behind this thing?"

"What thin – oh, the Relic?" Lightning glanced at the Fragment now in his lap " It's the first treasure I ever encountered in a dungeon, when I began exploring."

"You explore dungeons? Like this one?"

"W-well, kinda." he stuttered "But I mostly explored small ones, three floors tops. This one's the biggest I've ever been."

If Thunder had any remarks to say about that, she opted not to say. Lightning sighed and continued:

"I came here because I heard of a guild for explorers, both experienced and in training." He sighed once again "I heard that they held special training for rookies like me. It sounded too good to be true, so I came here to see if I could enter."

"But… " his partner urged.

He let gravity do its work and fell backwards , laying down on the soft sand:

"But I ended up chickening out at the last minute." the Riolu looked at the orange sky "I didn't even manage to step into the guild. I'm pathetic."

"Don't."

"Huh?"

"Don't bring yourself down due to one setback." Thunder continued "Just because you failed today doesn't mean you'll fail tomorrow."

"How can you be sure?" Lightning asked "How can you be sure I won't fail next time?"

"I can't" she answered "And neither can you. But we'll never know if you don't try."

Lightning laughed:

"It's not that easy."

"Think of it like this:" the Pikachu argued "we failed the first time we tried to get your treasure back, didn't we?"

"Yeah… so?"

"If we had given up, if you had given up. It wouldn't be with you right now."

Lightning glanced nervously at the stone in his lap:

"I-I don't see where you're going with this…"

She placed a gentle paw on his shoulder:

"If you fail, try again. If one angle doesn't work, try another one. You can't expect to succeed at something the first time you try it."

It took a moment for her words to settle in, but when they did, they hit with full force. Lightning once again let out a breath he didn't realized he was holding, then smiled at his partner:

"Thunder…thank you."

She smiled back:

"No problem."

They sat there for a few more moments in comfortable silence, with Thunder gazing at the setting sun and Lightning looking at her curiously.

A new angle, she said. He thought. I wonder…

"Um… Hey, Thunder? " he called

Her attention was immediately drawn to him:

"I've been thinking..." he started "If I asked… would you form an exploration team with me?"

The Pikachu tilted her head, curious:

"What do you mean?"

"W – well…" he stuttered "you don't have anywhere to go… and you are a natural at exploring, too! So I wondered if you would accept the offer. N-not that you have to, it was just-"

"Okay."

He paused:

"What do you mean, okay?"

"Like you said, I have nowhere to go to. I still need to find a way to shake this poison out of me, and…" she smiled "compared to the other Pokémon I've met today, you aren't all that bad."

Like a switch, Lightning's face brightened and he nodded happily, grasping Thunder's paws in his:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he laughed "you won't regret it, I swear!"

Letting go of her paws, the Riolu straightened up and offered a paw to the Pikachu, determined expression in his face:

"From now on. We'll be true partners! Together through the thick and thin! What do you say?"

Despite herself, Thunder smiled:

"Sounds great, partner."

She took his paw in hers, and a handshake sealed the deal.


End file.
